**[Lindsey Cherek Waller](https://www.cohart.com/lindseycherekwaller)** is a painter whose work captures everyday objects as "culturescapes," offering a vivid portrayal of queer life and community in real time. With a BFA in Painting from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Lindsey’s art has since drawn a global following. Lindsey has built a professional career by creating, critiquing, consulting, curating, licensing, and exhibiting their work, with prominent collaborations with Urban Outfitters, CB2, Dormify, Desenio, Hulu, Michaels, Paramount Pictures, and others. As a queer, non-binary artist originally based in the rural Midwest, Lindsey’s work imagines a blueprint for community-focused living, exploring themes of joy and pleasure beyond capitalist frameworks. Their art archives the present while envisioning infinite alternative futures where rural queer communities can thrive.

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##### What inspired you to become an artist, and how did you start your journey?

I’ve always known I wanted to be an artist. To be blunt, there was no other option for me than to be an artist. I grew up in a working class family tied to the restaurant industry, and it was either continue the tradition of service through food, which I thought was pretty miserable, or give being an artist a shot. I was the first of my family to attend college, and achieving my BFA took nearly a decade, but in that time I figured out how to support my life and my goals through art. 

##### What is your favorite medium to work with, and why does it resonate with you?

I am a painter to my core. Even before I learned paint as a material, my drawings always had a painterly quality to them. Even my sculptural work feels painterly, leaning towards soft, wet, and messy qualities. There is something really exciting to me about how unforgiving paint can be. I enjoy playing with color and transparency and building space through layers, and have found that paint is the best material for the kind of world-building I aim to create in my work. 

##### What role does research play in your artistic process? Do you have a specific method for gathering inspiration?

Research is an important part of my process. I have built my own archive of historical texts from feminism to queer theory to art history that support my subjects in a painting. I also look back to my own lived experiences and memories growing up in the rural Midwest. My still life work, for example, has a lot of symbolism that signal to art historical and queer references. I try to collect physical materials like zines and booklets whenever I visit a new place. Most of my travel is centered around furthering my research and solidifying ways to expand my visual language. I try to travel a few times a year, which really helps me find inspiration for new work.

##### How has your artistic vision evolved over time, and where do you see it heading in the future?

When I started painting I was mostly interested in figurative work. Ultimately, as an artist, I am in love with people, representing them and capturing the essence of them, but I found a lot of restrictions when I was working on portraits and figurative work – mostly financial restrictions, because I wanted to compensate all of my subjects for modeling. As I furthered my research in art history and queer history, Still Life paintings really caught my attention. I became really excited about the idea of a Still Life painting being a portrait, without the physical presence of a body. To me, Still Life feels like a manifestation of the internal, especially in a late-stage capitalist society, referencing materialism and consumerism and how these objects influence our identities. As for where my artistic vision is headed, Eula Biss said it best in Having and Being Had: “It’s a life marked by uncertainty and absurdity, the life of an artist. Maybe the value of art, to artists and everyone else, is that it upends other value systems. Art unmakes the world made by work.” That is what I intend to do. 

##### How do you stay motivated and inspired during creative blocks or challenging times?

I think the best way to find motivation is to take a break from “work,” and focus on the things that bring me joy. I listen to my body. Do I need rest? Do I need food? Do I need to travel? Dance? Whatever my body tells me to do, I do. I think something a lot of folks don’t realize is that being an artist isn’t always the act of making the work. Sometimes the most important thing an artist can do is just live. The life we live informs the work we make. Whenever I have spurts of my practice where I’m not physically painting, I make sure I’m still doing creative things like cooking, journaling, exploring, and learning. 

##### How do you balance commercial aspects of being an artist with your creative vision?

I make sure to carve out time each day to stay on top of my inbox, short-term and long-term projects, and the business side of my work, because these are the things that allow me to support myself and my family with my art. I treat the commercial side of my work as the part-time job I need to support myself, so I don’t need to actually get another part-time job to support myself. I know that dedicating the time and energy necessary to maintain my business is going to get me closer to my goals. As un-fun as it is, it’s worth it because of where it’s gotten me the last 5 years, and where I know it’ll take me in the future. 

##### Does technology play a role in your art-making process?

Technology is an important part of my art-making process, especially in the ways I share my art with the world. I use technology to document my process and archive my growth, which further connects me with my audience and community. 

##### Are there any upcoming projects or exhibitions that you're particularly excited about?

I’m excited for an upcoming collaboration with a luxury handbag brand, an artist talk with the MFA program at UW-Madison, and a group show in South Carolina. Beyond preparing for those events, I’m looking forward to grounding myself in my new city of Charlotte, North Carolina, settling into my home studio, and connecting with the arts community here. 

##### How do you approach the concept of success or failure in your art practice?

Failure is important. It’s inevitable. It’s how we learn. Whenever I experience success, I reflect on all the failed attempts that got me there. Success is great, but it’s an inconsistent flow. As long as I stay focused and grounded in why I’m an artist, I happily embrace both success and failure however they come. 

##### What advice would you give to emerging artists or other artist peers trying to find their voice in the art world?

My advice is to really get to know yourself, like _really get to know yourself_. Authenticity is the core of your voice. Whatever you’re making art about, it’s inherently a reflection of you and who you are. And if you know who you are, and practice sharing that vulnerably and authentically with the world, you’ll make some strong art.

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Lindsey creates layered worlds with color and symbolism, drawing from history, queer theory, and personal experience to explore identity.

Spotlight: Lindsey Cherek Waller on Queer Joy and the Art of Living Authentically

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